- National Adviser on Sexual Violence in Wales Assaulted at Soccer Match
- Cardiff City to Investigate Incident and Involve Police
- Calls for Action and Awareness to Combat Sexual Harassment at Football Games
The national adviser on sexual violence in Wales has described being sexually accosted by a man at a soccer game.
Saturday night’s Championship match between Cardiff City and Swansea City, according to Johanna Robinson.
She reported that a man seated behind her repeatedly grabbed her despite her requests for him to stop.
The director of Cardiff City, Steve Borley, stated that the club will investigate the incident and, if necessary, involve the police.
Ms Robinson, a former season ticket holder, said she was alone at the match after giving her ticket away.
Ms. Robinson, Wales’ National Adviser for Violence Against Women, Gender-Based Violence, Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Violence, stated, “Almost as soon as I sat down, the man behind me began tapping me, trying to talk in my ear, and crouching over my shoulder.”
“Then it got worse… the way he was touching me became more forceful, and it felt like he was grabbing my shoulders, arms, and waist,” she said.
Ms. Robinson continued, “He just kept doing it… it made me feel insecure, he made me feel insecure.
“He was invading my personal space and inappropriately caressing me; I wasn’t sure if he was going to continue, but it didn’t matter. I simply did not enjoy it.”
She reported that she then turned around and asked the man to stop handling her, to which he responded angrily and regarded her with “bewilderment.”
Her interaction stopped until he tried to get her to drink with him before halftime.
She stated, “He tapped me on the shoulder again and told me very clearly that he had not done anything and was not a monster man’.”
That was his way of excusing it and moving on; that I should go out for a drink with him because he wasn’t a demon is absurd.
Ms. Robinson reported that she then went to the stewards to report the incident and request a seat change, which she received after being taken to a supervisor.
She reported that the supervisor explained how difficult it would be to transfer her to another seat and that there was no procedure in place for such situations.
Ms. Robinson stated that she “really appreciates” the fact that Cardiff City director Steve Borley contacted her after she posted about her experience on social media.
“I’ve had tremendous support thus far. My argument is that it is merely unacceptable. We must take action so that it is not the woman’s responsibility to defend herself.
“I would encourage women to speak out, I would encourage them to go to the steward… but the responsibility is on the clubs.”
She added that it should not be the responsibility of women to seek out safety-promoting resources, such as a hotline for reporting inappropriate behavior.
“They should be made available to us, and the messaging to us should be crystal clear,” she said.
Director of Her Game Too Cymru, Roopa Vyas, stated that Ms. Robinson’s experience was all too common, which is why Her Game Too exists.
“We’ve had enough… it’s such a shame that, despite efforts to raise awareness of such a horrible thing, it’s still so prevalent, particularly at football games,” she said.
Ms. Vyas added, “Sometimes it’s so common that, even as a woman, you don’t recognize it as sexual harassment until you tell someone; this is unacceptable.”
She states that Her Game Too is working with football clubs to implement systems for reporting such conduct and that the primary focus for clubs that already have such systems is raising awareness.
Mr. Borley has apologized to Ms. Robinson for her ordeal and stated that the club will “thoroughly investigate the incident and, if necessary, involve the police.”
Cardiff City has contacted Ms. Robinson and is investigating the incident, as per their statement.
A club spokesperson encouraged any fan who feels threatened or concerned by the behavior of others to contact the club as soon as possible via the reporting hotline.
